Jette Sandahl, chair of the new ICOM Standing Committee on Museum Definition, Prospects and Potentials, will give an introduction to the purpose, mandate and working methods, through which the committee will explore the values and practices of museums in diverse and rapidly changing societies, leading up to a possible revision of the museum definition in 2019.

The introduction will be followed by series of concurrent round-tableson different matters:

Relevant and important contributions which museums can make to society in the coming decade;

Trends and challenges faced by your country in the coming decade;

Trends and challenges faced by museums in your country in the coming decade;

How museums need to change and adapt our principles, values and working methods over the next decade to meet these challenges and enrich our contributions;

Roundtables will be moderated by members of the core group of the ICOM Standing Committee on Museum Definition, Prospects and Potentials:

Margaret Anderson, Australia, in English

Lauran Bonilla-Merchav, Costa Rica, in Spanish

George Abungu, Kenya, in English

Alberto Garlandini, Italy, in English, or French as needed

Please note that although moderators speak different languages there will not be simultaneous interpretation during the workshop.

Drafted in cooperation with ICOM and unanimously adopted by all 195 UNESCO Member States in November 2015, the UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Protection and Promotion of Museums and Collections, their Diversity and their role in Society is an important tool designed to serve the world museum community.

During the June 8th workshop, François Mairesse, Chair of ICOFOM, and France Desmarais, Director of Programmes at ICOM will lead this workshop that aims at:

Recalling the context in which this new normative instrument was introduced;

Analyzing the content of the Recommendation to explain certain choices that were made when it was initially drafted and later amended by UNESCO Member States, and;

Developing a strategy for the museum community to implement, at the national or regional level, the Recommendation.

The workshop will propose to work together with the participating members of the Advisory Committee to come up with proposals for the implementation, nationally and regionally, in cooperation with governmental bodies, of the main ideas of the Recommendation. The text can serve as basis to support the strong advocacy ideas and activities for the museum community, namely concerning the independence, the professionalism and the diversity of museum professionals and institutions.

Please note that although moderators speak different languages and documents will be provided in English, French and Spanish, there will not be simultaneous interpretation during the workshop.